Smithville Elementary School will soon have its very own Outdoor Learning Center thanks to a generous grant from Lowe’s.

Ana Murray, principal of Smithville Elementary, said a commercial sales representative at the Lowe’s in Bastrop contacted her this past January, informing her about the 2010 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant.

The grant, which is funded by the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF), is worth up to $5,000 and is eligible to all K-12 schools in the United States. All it requires is for schools to apply online before the spring or fall deadline, stating what they would like to use the grant for, as well as giving an estimated cost for the project.

“A guy from Lowe’s called me saying his manager wanted him to call all area schools and let them know about this great opportunity,” Murray said. “I had all of the teachers and staff look in on it and our thoughts ventured into building an Outdoor Learning Center.”

Murray said that she teamed up with Cheryl Burns, Smithville Independent School District’s director of curriculum and instruction, and they applied for the grant not knowing what their odds of receiving it were.

“We were told that we wouldn’t hear back until December (2010), but we received a surprising letter in April informing us that we won,” Murray said.

After learning about the exciting news, Murray said the project’s “committee,” which is made up of teachers, staff, booster club members and some parents, was quick to start brainstorming on ideas for the Outdoor Learning Center.

“We are planning on building it in the grassy area right next to the parking lot between our gym and central office,” she said.

In the roughly 60 x 30 foot area, Murray said they are wanting to build an l-shaped grided fence around the sides facing the parking lot and the central office, as well as incorporate a tiled patio with picnic tables for presentations. She said the grided fence and tiled patio will be there to help the students practice their measuring skills.

“I thought it would be a good idea to add some covered sandboxes as well to give the kids some more measuring opportunities,” she said. “Adding plants will also allow them to gain hands-on experience in identifying plant species.”

While the center will be used for class activities, particularly math and science, Murray said it will also be an area for students to study or read during recess.

“I want to keep the area looking very nature-like all while implementing a learning environment,” she said. “It would be nice to have some guest speakers come out and give presentations.”

Murray said that the school estimated the cost for all of the project’s supplies to be about $5,000, which is what it received. While there is not a designated building day set, Murray said it will probably be on a Saturday shortly after school starts.

“We are predicting that construction will only take a day or two with help from parents and the community,” Murray said.

If anyone is interested in helping build the elementary’s Outdoor Learning Center, they can contact the school office at 237-2406 for more information.

According to Katie Cody, spokesperson for Lowe’s corporate office, 20 Toolbox for Education grants were given out to schools in the greater Austin area for the spring 2010 cycle and Smithville Elementary was the only one to receive the grant in Bastrop County.

“To determine who wins the grants, we look at basic one-time needs of each school,” Cody said. “During this hard economic time, it’s really based on which schools need it the most.”

Cody said Lowe’s has a long history of supporting childhood education, which is evident in the Toolbox for Education grant.

“This is our fifth year to do this grant and we have already given out more than $20 million, which is equivalent to more than 4,000 grants,” Cody said.

To learn more about the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant, visit their Facebook site at www.facebook.com/ToolboxForEducation. It is an opportune place for schools to post pictures and update on their projects.